During, before, or after the battle. If before, then we need people to be posting more. During depends on player interaction and where they will be fighting at. The closer to the courtyard you get, the more intense of a battle it will be, with a few exceptions to the keep. An example of the seriousness range would be if you were in the kitchen or dinning room where the servants would be having a food fight with guards. There will be a lot afterwards though.

I understand though the want and need for character interaction and development though. It can happen before the battle, but I originally had it after the battle... well, depending on the outcome. If it does happen before, what is it going to be about and whose doing the talking?

Best way I can think of the current situation is like Roanapur in Black Lagoon.

Everyone would likely be talking about the job and who they hate most In the room quietly while the dwarf tries to take a peak into the sealed up iron pouch on Marcus' belt. Then it would be about how a dwarf caught 10 feet of air from an angry old man.Then anger and muscle flexing and threats and beer and explosions. Then finger waggling.

(Prefix: Posted under the assumption the title stating two spots were still open was up to date.)

Name: Varidius Castinus Hollander

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Class: Templar

Age: 20

Affiliation: The Templars; The Chantry

Skills/magic/abilities: Patience is needed by those would defend. Strength is needed by those who would avenge. Intelligence is needed by those who would win. In the service of the Maker, Varidius stands as a bulwark against the threat of magic and the demons that pull its strings. Young, full of vigor and specialising in the defence of himself and others, Varidius has attained an incredible durability to withstanding damage and injury as well as the close-range combat skills enough to make him a threat to all but the most experienced of combatants. Combined with an innovative mind, Varidius is only hampered in combat by inexperience. He holds a clear advantage over magic-users but suffers against more experienced warriors.

[Warrior Training]Armour skills: Varidius is trained in the use of all armours from light to heavy, but specialises in a type of 'super-heavy' armour which comprises of specialist designs involving six-inch long metallic spikes in great quantities peppering a set of full-plate gear. Intense awareness of one's own movements are required to avoid causing injury to oneself and one's battle-brothers, but proper utilisation of this type of armour affords the wearer incredible physical protection and another weapon with which to strike a foe or dissuade them from attacking.

Endurance: Varidius' true strength lies in his endurance which lies just at the edge of being supernatural. He can perform at the peak of human endurance, can fight off all but the most virulent of illness and fight with grievous wounds. He relies on his endurance to wear and move fluidly in his heavy armour and outlast his opponents, but this does not extend to his physical might. He can take a blow exceptionally well, but cannot deal a proportionate blow himself.

Tactics: Varidius has received formal training and understands the theory behind battle strategy, affording him knowledge equal to a junior ranking-officer. He lacks much combat experience and, while an innovative thinker who can adapt to many situations quickly, is often surprised by more experienced opponents and easily tricked.

Weapon skills: Varidius is trained in the use of most martial weapons, but specialises in the use of a longsword and tower shield. He possesses great natural skill and has received formal training in the art of swordplay and battle by experienced teachers, though lacks much experience in real combat. To describe his prowess more accurately: he stands above the common soldier in the use of weaponry, but below that of heroes and the more seasoned mercenaries.

[Templar Training]Chastise the Impure: [Passive] As long as Varidius has a melee weapon, any attack that strikes an opponent with mana will cause a portion of that stored mana to become unstable, consuming a portion of their mana and damaging them for half that amount. While the damage caused is not great, an opponent struck repeatedly will soon find themselves devoid of magical resources. This ability does not need to wound an opponent to take effect; any blow that successfully strikes and would cause damage, no matter how little, will trigger this effect. This ability has no affect on enemies without mana or who have run out of mana.

Dispel Magic: [Active] Varidius may choose to remove a single harmful spell effect from himself or an ally, or dispel a beneficial effect from an enemy. This ability cannot be used often, incurring a 'cool down' period between uses. This cannot remove 'passive' affects certain magical creatures or spell-casting classes possess.

Judgement: [Active] Varidius unleashes a powerful attack. An opponent struck by Varidius will suffer intense damage equal to the difference between their maximum mana and their current mana as their body is filled with 'purifying' and highly volatile energy. This ability can only be used once-per-day and requires a successful melee attack that would cause damage, however little. Enemies with full mana or with no mana storage capabilities are unaffected.

Magical Bulwark: [Passive] As long as Varidius possesses a shield, any successful block will also block any projectile based spells and magical abilities. Spells without a travel-time and spells that affect a large area are unaffected by this ability.

Magical Resistance: [Passive] All but the most powerful of spells have a reduced affect on Varidius. Fireballs fail to knock him off his feet, blasts of cold fail to freeze him and the manipulation of the mind fails to stun him. This is far from an immunity, but Varidius will always suffer reduced damage from a magical ability and a lesser type of 'ailment', meaning he will be slowed rather than frozen or dazed rather than paralyzed.

Appearance: A relatively unimposing figure when found outside his colossal armour, Varidius stands at an average height with a powerfully muscled build that lends thought to intensive physical training outside of combat itself. His sun-kissed skin is unmarked by scar or bruise, betraying his inexperience in real combat, a thing his cold blue eyes reveal with their youthful gleam. He possesses tidy, medium length sandy-blonde hair and little more than stubble across his chin and jawline. His features are sharp and handsome.

His 'casual' attire consists of green and brown leather and wool clothing in the style of nobility with practical dark brown boots. He wears a white shirt with black buttons painted with gold in their centre underneath a dark green doublet inlaid with golden trimmings.

His armour is an imposing, colossal mass of shining silver-like metal bearing the hallmarks of the Templar's design, with large pauldrons ornamented with religious texts attached to its form with seals of red wax bearing the symbol of the Templars. Huge spikes pepper his armour giving it an imposing, vicious appearance and the matching, angular helmet wields a crown of spines about its top. A cassock of blue and gold covers its lower portions, though this decoration merely conceals the rest of the armour. The heavy belt of the armour carries a scabbard for its wielder's blade and a two chains holding an ornate prayer book, likely filled with praise to the Maker.

His shield is almost as tall as its wielder, and forms an angular point at the base whilst forming three prongs at its top. Upon its front a prayer to the maker is emblazoned upon a backdrop of light brown, giving it the appearance of being written upon parchment.

His sword is finely crafted with a holy seal hanging from a single link at the pommel. It is otherwise unremarkable.

Personality: Varidius has a commanding personality with unwavering confidence that borders on outright arrogance. However, he believes in the common good and heroism, seeking to right wrongs he encounters and aid the helpless where possible. Defence of the innocent is a driving force in his personality, making him unafraid of sacrificing himself for another or suffering great hardships to protect a stranger. He has an unwavering belief in the Maker and doctrine of the Chantry, but his faith in the purpose of the Templars is zealous to a point that is unusual even amongst religious orders and his hatred for apostates is irrationally powerful. When faced with a rogue mage he will not hesitate to enact the orders of the Chantry and can be very hostile.

History: Varidius was sired by Barridus Forthright Hollander, a minor noble in the courts of Amaranthine and had a privileged upbringing. Jealous rivals from his father's past hired a rogue mage to assassinate the man in his bed, but succeeded only in felling the young Varridius' mother. Despite the political ramifications of such an action, his father soon after allowed his son to consign himself to the Templars.

During the latter years of his training, Varridius' father passed away peacefully in his sleep. Unable to hold a landed title due to his oath to the Templars, Varridius was left with very little, but he now considered the Chantry as his home and the Templars as his family.

A promising recruit with exceptional skill, Varridius carries the expectations of his teachers on his shoulders, and has so far been victorious in his sole conflict with an apostate.

Fresh, young and faithful, Varridius goes where the chantry orders him, only taking detours to help the common folk where he can.

Starting point: Upon the road from Denerim to the Templar's base camp at the Circle tower to aid Knight-Commander Tirion.

Additional notes:o His favourite colour is blue.o His favourite animal is the budgerigar. He dearly wishes to own one.o He has a love interest within the order, but doctrine prevents him acting upon his whim.o His orientation is homosexual.o He has a crippling fear of heights.

QuickSilver wrote:ornamented with religious texts attached to its form with seals of red wax bearing the symbol of the Templars

Oh, ho, ho. I caught the Warhammer reference.

You're good to go QuickSilver. Interesting starting location, you might be alone for a while until Someone gets there. Right now everyone is in Redcliffe and Denerim.

BG07 wrote:

Deena wrote:So is there going to be any character interaction that doesn't primarily consist of flexing muscles, destroying inanimate objects, and/or general oozing of testosterone?

As awesome and manly as communicating via 'who can kill / destroy the most things' is, she really does have a point here.

I know, and if you guys want that to happen, make it happen. I seriously have no problem with it. You guys are making the story, I'm just the guide. If you want to spend sometime on the character development and relationship between everyone, go for it. The sooner, the better.

Berry-tan wrote:Uhh, I'm a girl. And also I've been busy with school and family stuff, which took a priority over the game for a while.

That's sort of the point of the whole "hey we should probably take a day to rest and not rush off to battle covered in burn marks and puncture wounds" thing. The plot's arbitrary, so there's no need to rush it. Having the characters spend a night at Denerim will give them a chance to converse and get to know each other.

I was thinking that's what that was hinting at. It's good by me then. I'll have the Teryn say something about it when I get a chance. I know Ro is still waiting on me, and if I can just find sometime here in the next few days, then I can post. My final's week is next week, and I have a Anatomy and Physiology Lab Final this Friday. So I'm possibly going dark next week until Friday, and hopefully I'll leave a Teryn and Val post before then.